


Last resort.

by areeskimosreal



Category: Peter Kay's Car Share (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-23
Updated: 2020-01-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:07:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22368433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/areeskimosreal/pseuds/areeskimosreal
Summary: Sometimes it takes the bigger person to make the first move, even if they shouldn't.
Relationships: Kayleigh Kitson & John Redmond
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	Last resort.

"Bye then been nice meeting you at last "

" You too John, bye buddy "

" Bye " Mandy shouted as John held her big sisters door open for her. Mandy went inside, Steve watched and chuckled as Kayleigh grabbed John and kissed him as he tried to fasten his seat belt, she waved as they drove off.

" He seemed nice, I like him " Steve smiled. 

" He must think he's won the lottery " Mandy said snidely. 

" What the hell does that mean ?"

" Him, getting a woman like her "

" She seems happy enough "

" She can do much better "

" Don't start this again, for christ's sake let them be "

" I won't let her throw her life away on the likes of him "

" You need to listen to yourself occasionally Mand , do you know that?" 

" She is my sister……"

" Well why don't you let her live her life herself then ?"

" I don't want………"

" You, you bloody you, what about her eh ?"

" I know what's best for her "

" So you think, but listen to me Mandy and listen good, if you make her choose, be prepared for an answer you don't like "

" As if "

" I'm serious, there is something special there, and if you choose not to see it, that's your loss, perhaps in more ways than one "

" You think you can see what I can't do you ?"

" I saw two people who love each other, and no mistake "

" Well do you know what I saw ?"

" I'm about to find out no doubt "

" I saw a fat balding loser, who is interested in nowt but getting in her knickers, by saying or doing whatever that takes, filling her head with lies and promises and she is way too effing thick to see that "

" That's bollocks "

" He's a no good chancer, and the stupid bitch can't see it "Mandy said loudly..

As Mandy finished her character assassination, Kayleigh walked between Steve and Mandy, Steve stood wide eyed, Mandy looked on in shock .

" I forgot my phone " Kayleigh said, " oh there it is, "

She picked her phone off the side table, and turned to leave.

" Ka………." Mandy went to speak. Kayleigh put her hand over Mandy's mouth.

" Bad idea Mandy "

" I…….. " 

" Not a word Mandy, don't say a thing understand ?"

" Ye……."

" No, just nod Mandy "

Mandy nodded. 

" Thanks Steve, for defending me and John "

" I'm sorry you heard that love "

" Like I said thanks Steve, I'll see myself out "

With a final glare at her little sister Kayleigh quietly left the house.

" Do you see now Steve ?"

" See what ?"

" He's turned her against me, sister against sister "

" You're completely nuts, do you know that , fuckin nutty as a fruit cake ?"

" How ?"

" Do you know what just happened?"

" Of course "

" Really, that choice I spoke about ?"

" Aye ?"

" You made her take it Mandy, she's gone "

" She'll be back "

" I wouldn't hold my breath Mandy, truth is babe, she doesn't need you no more"

Kayleigh took a deep breath before she got back in the car, she was broken hearted by what she had just heard, but John wasn't going to get to know that.

" Alright love ?"

" It were just where I thought, on the side table "

" That's good, that us then good to go ?"

" Yes let's get out of here "

John glanced over toward his little redheaded girlfriend, she was troubled.

On the way home John unexpectedly pulled into their favourite coffee shop.

" Why are we stopping ?"

" Why do you think ?"

John placed their usual drive through order, and having collected it, drove to their favourite spot in the carpark, like they usually did they turned to face each other.

Kayleigh smiled.

" What's wrong love?"

" Nothing "

" It's the eyes you see, the eyes " John circled his eyes to accentuate his point .

" Eyes"

" Your eyes "

" My eyes?" Kayleigh looked in the sun visor mirror, " what about them ?"

" They've stopped smiling, your mouth hasn't, it's still on there, but nope, not your eyes, what's wrong ?" Kayleigh thought about saying nothing, or lying, but she didn't want a relationship where that happened so……..

" Mandy was slagging us off when I went in for my phone, Steve bless him was sticking up for us, but Mandy the vicious cow was tearing us to shreds "

" Was it my fault , did I let you down ?"

Kayleigh grabbed John's hand and kissed it, 

" No honestly John, it's nothing you did, she was having a go at both of us "

" Why ?"

" Because she knows best, at least that's her excuse for interfering in my life "

" Does she , know best ?"

" No she doesn't , by her reckoning because she is married, has kids, her own home , a good job and more qualifications than me, she knows best "

" She's just looking out for you, you told me yourself you'd been messed around by guys before "

" You're not one of those guys John "

" She don't know that though babe, does she ?"

" Yes she does John, I've told her a hundred times how I feel about you, and how I know you feel about me, and it means eff all to her because she's decided you're not the man for me "

" Why ?"

" She's shallow "

" Why am I not the man for you I meant ?"

" I know that's what you meant "

" Why not then ?"

" Please let it drop John , what she thinks doesn't matter to me ….."

" It does to me "

" Well it shouldn't, all you need to know is I love you with all my heart, and I will till my dying day John, my dying day " Kayleigh started crying. 

" Sorry darling " John said holding her.

Later that night as they cuddled on the sofa watching mind numbing tv, Kayleigh wriggled out of John embrace and sat up, 

" Do you remember what you asked me on Tuesday ?"

" About moving in with me ?" 

" That's it "

" No I don't remember, ow "

Kayleigh slapped him on the arm 

" Of course I remember "

" Does the offer still stand ?"

John sat looking at her , but said nothing. 

" Forget I asked John, I'll see if our Kelly has space for me " she snapped.

" Of course the offer is still open, I'm just shocked that's all, shocked in a good way though, seriously " 

"If this relationship is gonna work John, you need to be brutally honest with me " 

" I am babe "

" Really?"

" Okay then, you be honest with me, if you hadn't heard what you did at Mandy's, would you be moving in? " 

" Of course I would " 

" Now though, would you be moving in now ?"

" Not right now perhaps, no"

" See my point of view now ?"

" Me moving in here isn't my last resort you know ? " Kayleigh said sharply.

" I know that it's just………."

" John, I love you, you know that don't you? "

" Of course I do, you're forever telling me that, and I love you"

" And you know I was going to move in pretty soon anyway, don't you?"

" Aye "

" So this argument was more, just a sort of gee up, if you like, just gave me a bit of momentum, you know me well enough now I hope, to know I wouldn't move here unless I was sure about you, if I wasn't, I'd stay there and eventually we'd make up like her and I have done all our lives, you know that don't you ?"

" Kayleigh I just don't want to be the reason that you and Mandy stop speaking "

" You're not John, Mandy is the reason me and Mandy aren't speaking, her and her holier than thou attitude, and famously opinionated gob " 

" So, will I make up the spare room then ?"

" Oh John, you don't have to move in there, unless you think us going to bed together every night is too much, is that it, would I be too much for you?"

" No chance you would be too much"

" Think about it John " Kayleigh had walked up to John and was standing holding him around the waist, pulled in close, and was staring in his eyes.

" I would be able to cuddle up every night, naked, snuggled up tight as a bug in a rug " 

John smiled and shook his head ,

" That's not gonna work Kayleigh "

" Oh I think it is, in fact I'm sure it is " she said looking down.

" Bugger, right you " John took Kayleigh's arm and dragged her upstairs, she giggled all the way there .

On the way to work the following morning, John tried to broach the subject of Kayleigh and Mandy's falling out, but it threatened to cause an argument between them so he backed off.He knew they'd be talking again next week, sisters never fell out for long.

That evening Kayleigh borrowed the car, the horn sounding from the drive let John know she was back.

" What's this ?"

" All my stuff "

" So you were deadly serious then ?"

" I can take it back " Kayleigh snapped.

" Don't start again Kayleigh, we had this discussion, I hate to see you and Mandy falling out, but I'm glad you're here okay ?"

" Okay John, I'm sorry "

" Right let's get this lot unloaded and put away "

Between the two of them they had the car emptied in less than twenty minutes .

" What did she say ?"

" Mandy ?"

" Aye, Mandy "

" Nothing " Kayleigh shrugged.

" She didn't speak to you at all ? 

" She wasn't there, she goes to yoga tuesday evenings "

" So you loaded all that yourself?"

" No Steve helped"

" What did he say ?"

" He asked me to reconsider moving out, said the kids will miss me, he eventually admitted he'd miss me an all, and told me to tell you that he apologises for Mandy, and to make sure I'm okay ?"

" And are you ?"

" No John, I'm really hurting how could she……"

As Kayleigh burst into tears, John hugged and tried to console her, she took a while to stop.

Three weeks later after a few tense moments in the Price house, when the two sisters glared at each other, when Kayleigh and John had gone to take the kids out for the day, John decided he had to do something, but what, that would come to him eventually he hoped.

John was sitting at the bar, not his usual lunchtime haunt, but needs must.

" Alright pal ?" Steve said as he patted him on the back 

" Alright Steve mate, thanks for coming "

John bought some drinks and the two men found a table.

" So I take it you want to know how to end this bloody argument? " Steve said sipping his pint .

" Spot on pal "

" Sorry buddy but I honestly don't know "

" Shit, I thought if anybody would know, it'd be you"

" I've never seen them like this before John, never in all the years I've known them, they've had major barney's in the past, Kieron and I have had to physically separate them before, but even then they were talking again within the week "

" What's different this time do you reckon?" John asked.

" Don't you know, seriously buddy have you not worked it out ?"

" No "

" Seriously?"

" Not a scooby Steve mate "

" It's you John, you're what's different this time "

" Me ?"

" Aye buddy you're the fly in the ointment "

" How, I mean why ?

" Because Kayleigh loves you, and Mandy insulting you has opened up a whole new world of angry, and I'm buggered if I know how to shut it again "

" I'm a big boy Steve, getting verbal doesn't bother me, christ I get a character reference every time I issue a warning, or sack someone "

" It's not about you as such "

" Make your mind up Steve " John chuckled 

"It's the fact that Kayleigh has told Mandy how she feels about you, but Mandy still put the boot in, in Kayleigh's eyes that's a no no, they can say what they want about each other, and god knows they do, but they've never dissed partners, old or new, once they were ex's Aye, but not during the relationship."

" Don't get that pal "

" Put another way, Kayleigh will tear into Mandy if she's of a mind to, but she would never slag me off to Mandy, because I'm Mandy,s fella, get it ?"

" Yes, Mandy can call Kayleigh what she wants, but I'm out of bounds, sort of "

" Spot on, Kayleigh couldn't care less what Mandy says about her or calls her, but 'cause she slagged you off, she is livid "

" So how do we fix it ?"

" I've no idea John, not an iota "

" There must be something?"

" Undoubtedly, but I don't know what ?"

" I'll try talking her round " 

Steve stopped mid sip and stared over his glass,

" Really, you're gonna talk Kayleigh round ?" He eventually said to John.

" Bad idea is it ?"

" Very bad, leave them be John, they'll come around eventually"

" Think so ?"

" Know so, seriously John don't interfere, you'll get no thanks for it "

Two months after first meeting Mandy, John was back at the Price house, this time uninvited and unexpected. He had decided to take the bull by the horns, so here he was, time to man up.

He rang the bell and waited,

" What do you want ?" Mandy asked bluntly. 

" A chat "

" Why should I bother talking to you ?" 

" Because Mandy, as things stand, I'm about the only person on this earth who can get your sister to talk to you again "

" It's your fault she isn't " Mandy started to shut the door.

" Really, and here's me thinking it was you who was slagging us off"

" I was giving my opinion " 

" Yea, you're good at that aren't you? "

Mandy opened the door fully again.

" Come in "

John sat and stared at the bread bin, for no particular reason other than to look somewhere other than at Mandy, she prepared tea for them both, she put a cup down in front of John, and with a sigh sat opposite him.

" So ?" she said.

" So what ?"

" I thought you wanted to talk ?"

" I thought we should talk, me, well I haven't fallen out with anybody have ah ?"

" I suppose not "

" Despite me being a fat balding loser " 

" I say it as it is " 

" No Mandy you don't " John said sitting forwards, " You say it as you see it, and that is vastly different "

" What did she want you to tell me ?"

" She doesn't want me to tell you nowt, she doesn't even know I'm here "

" So she didn't send you ?"

" No "

" So what do you hope to achieve ?"

" I hope to get you two talking"

" Get a little extra at bedtime will you ?" Mandy sneered.

" She's right about you, you really can be a vile individual "

" I don't like you John " 

" Here's the thing Mandy, and I know this might come as a shock, you having such a high opinion of yourself, so hold on to your hat love, but the truth is, I don't give a fuck if you like me or not, I don't give a shit about you, your opinion or your likes or dislikes, your loves or hates, the only thing of yours that I care about in this world is your sister, and she's hurting, that's the only reason I'm here "

" Well maybe if you got out of her life, I'd talk to her "

" But she still wouldn't talk to you,...........would she ?" John sipped his tea.

" Don't you want to know why I don't like you ?"

" No, you don't know me, couldn't be bothered finding out about me, and jumped to conclusions, so I don't care what you think, and care even less why you think it "

" Everybody wants to know why they're not liked "

" I issue warnings every working day love, both in my store and others, and there's hardly a week goes by that I don't have to sack someone, there's a long list of people don't like me, and most of their opinions are worth far more to me than yours will ever be "

" I know your type "

" Whoopy do " John could see the fact Mandy's opinion didn't bother him, was bothering her.

" I've met them before "

" Sorry love, met who ?"

" People like you "

" You think ?"

" I know "

" Well good for you, but the thing is Mandy, it's you who hurt your sister, not me, but then again maybe that doesn't bother you, I hope it does, but if it doesn't, then its pity you deserve love, nowt else "

" Of course it bothers me, siblings shouldn't fall out like this, but she made her decision "

" I heard you were committing character assassination when she came for her phone "

" I was telling it as……….."

" You see it, yes you said , apparently she doesn't think she's thick, nor does she agree with your opinion of me, but hey ho, that's life eh ?"

" She needs….." 

" Her sister, that's what she needs, one she can talk to and share with, not one that slags her off every chance she gets "

" Someone she can cry to when you dump her you mean ?"

" I'm not going to dump her ever, and the sooner you get to grips with that fact the better, I'm going to be in her life forever now, what you have to think about is do you want to be ?"

" What's that supposed to mean ?"

" It doesn't mean anything it is what it is, a simple decision "

" Don't you dare think you can keep my sister from me " Mandy stood up and banged her fist on the table.

John didn't even look up, be sipped his tea and put his cup back gently on the table, be sighed deeply.

" Are you done ?" He eventually asked." Because this is going nowhere "

" I'll be there for her, when she needs me, when you're gone " Mandy said crossing her arms and glaring. 

" Listen good Mandy because you're either thick or deaf, but I'm going nowhere " 

" Heard it all before, I'm in it for the long run, you're the one babe, me and you babe forever, I've heard it all before "

" This isn't about you "

" But I've heard all those lies before "

" Was that from Mark or Bobby ?"

" You what, how dare you ?" Mandy stuttered." Leave them out of it "

" Because she certainly hasn't heard that from me "

" I bet Charlotte did though eh ?"

" Probably did, she still broke off the engagement though, just like they did with you eh?"

" Get the fuck out of my house " Mandy roared.

" No, not until you understand, I'm never ever dumping Kayleigh, no way never, you can either accept me for what I am, or at least have the decency to try to to get to know me before you form an opinion, or accept this fact Mandy, you've lost your sister, as far as she's concerned you're out of her life, take this chance eh, don't assume because you've been fucked over a few times in the past by a few losers, that she's gonna end up the same "

" In the past…….

" I'm her present Mandy, the here and now, those losers were in her past, just like yours were,

you ended up wi the right one in Steve, at least give me the chance to prove I'm the right one for her "

" I don't want her hurt John " 

" I don't want her hurt either Mandy, honestly "

" I want to believe she got it right this time, but it's hard "

" You got it right "

" I'm not her though " Mandy snapped.

" That's for sure " 

" She needs protecting, and I'll never stop protecting her, so you can jog on Redmond "

" So this is protecting her is it ?"

" Eh ?"

" You not speaking to her, not taking an interest, is she happy living at mine ?"

Mandy looked at John, her mouth opened but no words came out.

" You haven't got a clue have you,.........have you ?"

" You had better……….."

" HAVE YOU ?" John shouted and stood up .

" No " Mandy replied sheepishly. 

" No, that's right sister of the year, defender of the weak, all knowing Amanda Price, you have no fucking idea how your sister is, protecting her my arse. She cries a lot if you must know, tries not to let me see it because it makes me hate you more every fucking time "

Mandy suddenly looked up at John .

" Yea hate Mandy, hate, I forgot to mention it earlier, but I've got opinions too you know. I met you that one time here, strangely enough I thoroughly enjoyed myself, I thought you and Steve were a great couple, seems I only got that half right eh ?,"

" You're so fucking smart aren't you John ?"

" I can't be arsed talking to you anymore Mandy, you really are a loathsome bitch, being here is making my skin crawl, I'm leaving "

" What about Kayleigh?"

" I honestly believe she's better off not talking to you, your attitude stinks, you'd only end up making her as bitter and twisted as you are"

" She needs me "

" No she doesn't, she needs positivity in her life, not a bitter twisted bitch like you"

John got up and walked out .

" You won't take her from me Redmond " Mandy shouted as John walked down the drive.

John turned.

" KAYLEIGH, KAYLEIGH " John shouted up towards the box room window.

Mandy glared.

" Oh I forgot she's back at mine " John grinned." Looks like I've already got her don't it, as things stand Mandy she's mine, all mine, I'd like to share her with you, but that's up to you and her, let's be honest, it's up to you really. I don't care if you and I never speak again, you can go back to forming Ill advised opinions, I'll go back to sticking pins in your voodoo doll, but speak to her, like I said I came here for her only her, maybe you can go there for her eh ?"

" I'll think about it "

" You do that, you think about it, really think, because I think you have more to lose by not speaking"

" I said I'll think about it "

" I know you did, and here's another thing to think about, I work late on Thursdays, Kayleigh doesn't, bye "

John's whistling as he walked down to his car, really got under Mandy's skin, but John knew that.

John was a little disappointed when he drove into the house driveway on Thursday, he was sure he had gotten through to Mandy, but he hadn't passed her car, oh well.

John walked into the kitchen, Kayleigh was making the final preparations for dinner,

" How are you darling ?" She asked smiling.

" I'm fine, how was the tram ride tonight ?"

" Can I ask you a question John ?"

" Of course you can "

" Do you really have a voodoo doll of our Mandy ?"

" Told you that did she ?"

" Aye she picked me up after work and came in for a cuppa"

" All good ?"

" Not quite, but it's getting better it will be soon "

Kayleigh put John's dinner down, they ate in silence.

Kayleigh coughed to attract John's attention, 

" What love ?"

" Thank you "

" You're welcome "

" And John ?"

" Aye love ?"

" Never ever do that again" Kayleigh said sternly.

" Point taken "

" I mean it, never interfere again, she already thinks she's won, because you went there "

John looked in Kayleigh's eyes, he knew she was serious.


End file.
